Gas-trap float



GAS TRAP FLOAT Original Filed Sept. 29, 1921 Inberd'or /7//0/7 r/7710x619,

Reiasued Apr. 17, 1923.

MILON J. TRUMIBLE, OF ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO TRUMBLE GAS TRAPRe. 15,580 PATENT OFFICE.

(.70., A COPABTNERSHIP GONSIS TING OF MILON J. TRUMBLE, FRANCIS K. TOWN-SEND, AND ALFRED J. GUTZLER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

GAS-TRAP rLoar.

Original No. 1,432,221, dated October 17, 1922, Serial No. 504,086,filed September 29, 1921. Application for reissue filed January 29,1923.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, Minor: J. TRUMBLE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Alhambra, in the county of LosAngeles I and State of California, have invented a new and usefulGas-Trap Float, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to oil producing equipment and particularly tothe construction of gas traps for removing natural gas from the flow ofoil from wells.

The pressure under which gas traps of this character are required tooperate will during periods of surge reach 250 pounds,

and it has been customary to construct such floats, as are used forcontrolling the operation of gas traps, of heavy material to resistcollapse during the periods of high pressure. Also it is verydiflicultto 'fOIl'll a light weight float that will remain impervious tothe oil when beingoperated under high pressure conditions as the warpingof the material of which the float is constructed, due to the greatpressure to which it is sub- I 26 jected, causes seam openings whichallow the entrance of oil into the float, the presence of which thereindecreases the bouyancy of the float and prevents its giving eflicientservice. I

It is anobject ofmy invention to provide a float which cannot becollapsed by pressure existing within the interior of the gas trap inwhich it is used.

It is a further object of my invention to 5 provide a float which may bereadily cleared of any collection of liquid entering the float due toleaka or other causes.

Other ob ects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing which is for H lustrative purposes only.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a gas trap in which a floatembodying my invention is shown.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on a plane represented by the line 22 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the float shown in Fi 1.

Fig. 4 is an en arged detail section illusl0 trating the manner 1n whichthe float arm is secured to the exteriorly extending shaft su rtingsame.

e gas trap with which I illustrate the Serial No. 615,750.

utility of my invention consists of a shell 11 into which oil and gasare delivered through an inlet 12, this oil andgas mixture flowing overa conical hood .13 and entering a receiving chamber 14 in which issituated a float 1 munication between the interior of the float and theinterior of the gas trap and provides a means through which the externalpressure may be transmitted to the interior of the float. I employ theterm uarded to designate the manner in which t e end 32 of the tube 31is directed downwardly so that oil splashed over the top of the float 15will not enter thereinto through the tube 31.

It will be seen that the condition of pres sure upon the interior of thegas trap can have no collapsing effect upon the float as the pressurewithin the gas trap is communicated to the interior of the float throughthe tube .31.

There are times when the oil is delivered to the gas trap in the form ofan emulsion and foam collects upon the surface of the oil in the trap,sometimes completely filling the space remaining above the oil level inwhich case some of the foam will pass through the tube 31 into theinterior of the float. Also due to the presence of sand, the valve 20might become inoperable with the floatin its lowest position within thechamber 14. The level of oil then rising within the chamber 1 1 wouldsubmerge the float 15 due to its inability to rise therewith and oilwould enter the float through the tube 31. Also a slight leakage in anyof the seams of the float would permit a collection of oil within theinterior of the float.

I. provide a simple and expedient means low construction. This arm 16 issecured to the shaft 17 as shown in Fig. 4, by means of a split blockwhich is drilled to provide a passage 41 to coincide with an opening 42into the shaft 17. The shaft 17 extends through a suitable stufling box43 and has upon its outwardly extending end 4* a valve 45 which is keptnormally closed. At

,from interior collections of oil, the weight of which would detractfrom the effectiveness of action of the float in operating the valve20..

Under normal operation of the trapthe float 15 assumes the positionshown in full lines, Fig. 1, in which position the valve 20 is partiallyopen permitting a discharge of oil from the trap throu h pipe 50, theinner end of which extends ownwardly into the trap. The gas from the oilcollects under the cone 13 and is discharged from the trap through pipe51. In the event a surge of oil is discharged into the trap through thepipe 12, the float will assume the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1due to the rise of oil in the trap resulting in a'greater opening of thevalve 20 and a greater discharge of oil until the rate of flow of theincoming and outflowing oil has become equalized.

I claim as my invention:

1. In gas trap float mechanism, the combination of: walls providing areceiving chamber; aifloat arm within said chamber having commuiiicationwith the exterior of said receiving chamber; a float mounted upon saidarm; means associated with said 2. Float mechanism for gas trapscomprising: a hollow float arm within the trap having communication withthe exterior of said trap; a float mounted upon said arm;

means associated with said'float furnishing guarded communicationbetween the interior of said float and the interior of said trap wherebythe ressure existing in said trap is transmitted to the interior of saidfloat; and tubing connecting between the interior of said float and theinterior of said arm whereby collected liquid may be ejected from theinterior of said float by the pressure therein.

Float mechanism for gas traps comprising: a hollow float arm within thetrap having communication with the exterior of said trap; a floatmounted upon said arm; means associated with said float furnishingguarded communication between the interior of said float and theinterior of said trap whereby the ressure existing in said trap istransmitted to the interior of said float; tubing connecting between theinterior of said float and the interior of said arm whereby collectedliguid may be ejected -MILON J. TRIIMBLE.

